Coffee maker



Aug. 9, 1949. R L, SMITH 2,478,787

COFFEE MAKER Filed Jan. 10, 1946 Patented Aug. 9, 1949 My present -invention relates to beverage :making apparatus, and more-particularly to an improved coffee making "apparatus.

For-the purposes 'ofthis' disclosure I-shall discuss my invention in-its application to a cofiee maker. It will be understood, however, that such treatment is -illustrative and not limiting and that the principles of my invention are applicable to awide varietyof liquid-containing yessels, where it. important that. the ;vessel shall have either a non-drip pouring aperture or shall function as a measure of graduated capacity, or'both. 'Examples of the former include milk-bottles and like containers for liquids, and

of; the latterinclude laboratory graduates: and IhOuScholdjfmeasuring cups or the like.

. Specifically my invention resides in an apparatus having an improved device incorporated Lthere'in or associated therewith "-for measuring the amount of. water to be placed therein for making a required number of cups or helpings -of coffee, and for accurately measuring the amount of water even when the pot is'held in tiltedposition during the fillingoperation. In

association with the above, the invention 'coni-te'mplates the provision of an improved anti-drip "pouring spout and a counterweighted cover therefor. V 3 a Other novel"features of the construction and arrangement of parts comprising my improved apparatus'will. appear as thet'd'escription of the invention-progresses.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my invention:

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is a section plan view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded elevation of the pouring spout, resilient gasket, and improved measurer utilized in the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged section through my improved pouring spout particularly illustrating its anti-drip pouring lip, and the counterweighted cover for automatically opening and closing the same;

Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of my invention, and in tilted position; and

Figure 6 is a plan detail particularly illustrating the counterweighted cover and its mounting.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, l I designates a pot or other liquid holding vessel. Pot II is relatively broad at its bottom, and relativei narrow atits. ton-the topbeingopen and outwardly flared asindicated-atl-Z. Thepot Llnmaynbe made of any suitable material, but for rel-earniness and utility, I prefer toruse. glass. Extend ing: around the ooter I surface of; the outward-1y flared, portion |2"of the top'is ai ban-d; t3 preferably ofxmetal,=.to the ends of which is secured,

as bwscrewsro'r the like It, a handle lsigusually of a poor heat conducting-materiaLlgas-woodsor the like. I

Fitting closely into the ripening at the top of pot H is agasket lief resilient material. 1 11c 'out'ericircumference of gasket 1-6 is shaped to conform generally with the 'shape of the opening at the top of pot ll (-see Figures 1- and [3"). Gasket I6 is also provided witha-circularpassage 'l'l to receive, as a relatively tight'fitjthe lower skirt portio'nlB of "a 'pouringspout l9. Skirt portion 18 is provided with outwardly. ex-

tending spaced projections 20 which engage with fthe resilient material of the gasket Ia and assist in holding "the pouring spout 1'9 ,in' position. Such projections may however be a continuous lbea'd if desired.

The pouring spout I9. is in the formofatrum- .cated cone and the upper end thereof is extended outwardly as at numeral-2| i (see Figure 4) to form :ananti-drip pouring. flange or flip.

. Fittingon the top of flange 2-t' is cover-Zthaving secured thereto or termed integral therewith a counterweight 23. Counterweight 23 is pivotally mounted on the ends of a wire 24 wound around the top of the pouring spout l9 below the lip 2|, the ends of the wire 24 being held in position by a clasp 25.

Preferably, the ends of the wire are outturned at approximately right angles from each other as at 24' (see Figure 6) to fit within alined holes 23' in counterweight 23. Clasp 25 is slidable longitudinally along the arms of the wire, being constructed to provide a connected pair of loops, one of which is non-detachably engaged with one arm of the wire and the other of which is detachably engaged with the other arm. By pressing the arms towards each other, the arm which is detachably fastened to the clasp may be disengaged therefrom by swinging the clasp about the other arm as a fulcrum. This is an advantage when initially assembling the structure, and also should any of the parts subsequently require replacement. The clasp and method of anchoring the wire also prevents the cover, as a unit, from swiveling laterally with i e 3 respect to the pouring opening of spout is in the use of the device.

Fitting within the skirt portion 18 of pouring spout i9 is a measuring unit comprised of a rod 25 of appropriate length having its upper end formed into a resilient ring 27 which expansively seats into the upper end of the skirt portion l8 of the pouring spout. Rod 26 isprovided along its length with spaced markings 28, designating usually the amount of water required for a speciflc number of clips of coffee. Frictionally slidable on rod 26 is a marker 29, here shown as of a double bevel marker design, but which may be of any desired design. Marker'29 may he slid along rod 26 to any desired one of the marks 28 and materially assists the user in determining the required level of the water in the pot ll.

Referring now to Figure 5, wherein is shown a modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, 30 designates a pot, similar to the pot H, provided with the handle l secured to the pot II by the metallic band l3, arranged below the open and outwardly flared top i2. In this form however, I provide a Water level gauge or marker 3| formed integral with the bottom of the pot I I, and extending upwardly therefrom to a suitable height. This water level gauge or marker 3| is provided with spaced markings 28 along its length and with the frictionally slid- 1 able marker 29 mounted thereon.

It will be understood, of course, that the structure shown in Figure 5 is adapted to receive in the open mouth thereof the gasket 16 and pouring spout i9 shown in Figure 1, but as the structure shown in Figure 5 has the integral Water level gauge or marker 3|, the marker rod 26 will not be used.

In use, the marker 29 is moved along the measuring rod 26 or 3| until the proper mark '28 is reached. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the spring portion 27 of rod 26 holds the rod in proper position. The proper amount of cofiee 4 with the projecting lip 2i of the pouring spout IS. The lid 22 in coaction with lip 2| will thus act to prevent drip of the cofiee immediately the pouring operation is discontinued and the pivoted weight or handle 23 released.

Various modifications coming within the scope of my invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and such modifications are intended to come within the scope or the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination, a liquid holding vessel of transparent material, a liquid level indicator located therein and visible through the walls of the vessel, means slidably mounted on said indicator for determining the level of liquid to be poured into the vessel, a pouring nozzle on the vessel having an annular skirt, the upper end of said indicator being constructed as a resilient ring to be expansively lodged within said skirt, and a gasket fitting into the open end of the vessel and supporting the pouring nozzle and liquid level indicator in operative position.

ROLAND L. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 83,449 Berney Oct. 27, 1868 374,263 McInnes Dec. 6, 1887 641,108 Hemstreet Jan. 9, 1900 718,017 Norris Jan. 6, 1903 800,405 Salotto Sept. 26, 1905 1,264,481 Benedict Apr. 30, 1918 1,366,656 Haver Jan. 25, 1921 1,746,149 Elsey Feb. 4, 1930 1,814,083 Flautt July 14, 1931 1,859,614 Boever May 24, 1932 2,008,254 Kusche July 16, 1935 2,293,475 Serra Aug. 18, 1942 2,424,125 Sieling July 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 432,355 France Dec. 5, 1911 773,783 France Nov. 26, 1934 

